Thursday, March 23, 2017

Anarkali Of Aarah : Movie Review

Mahatma
Gandhi once said – “Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none is so
degrading, so shocking or so brutal as his abuse of the better half of
humanity; the female sex”.

The
film ‘Anarkali of Aarah’ portrays the life of a street singer and dancer in a small
town called Aarah in Bihar. Anarkali (Swara Bhaskar) the main protagonist is
part of a local orchestra group which performs in wedding and other local
events where she is the lead performer who through her seductive moves, lewd
lyrics and singing charms her audience. She, for the locals is not less than a
celebrity. There are men of all ages who drool over her and cherish a dream to
be with her. Anarkali knows her stardom
and is fun to see her enjoying her fame and the goodies showered on her by her
admirers.

Image Courtesy: primestroke.com

In
one of her public performances a powerful admirer rub her up in the wrong way and
when she objects, her life turns topsy-turvy. She being an erotic singer makes everyone
feel that she is vulnerable and easily available. But for Anarkali a ‘No’ is a ‘No’.
In one of the dialogues she warns her tormentor that whether he considers a
woman as a Prostitute, or a bit less than a prostitute or even as his wife,
never approach without her consent.

Swara
Bhaskar has given a commendable performance. Her body language, accent and her
ability to live the character of a Bihari erotic singer and dancer is
noteworthy. She received rave reviews for her performance in Nil Battey Sannata
and her role in Anarkali of Aarah is a bit more tough and challenging which
stands out. Written and directed by Journalist
turned filmmaker Avinash Das takes care of the nuances of storytelling very
well by treading responsibly the thin line of not being sleazy and vulgar by
portraying the life of a nautch girl.

Image Courtesy: bollywoodmaratha.com

Swara
Bhaskar’s co-star Pankaj Tripathi is an awesome actor. He brings life be it the
role of a railway ticketing clerk in the film ‘Masaan’ or the role of a school
principal in ‘Nil Battey Sannata’. And now as Rangeela in ‘Anarkali of Aarah’,
Pankaj Tripathi has repeatedly proven his acting prowess. Sanjay Mishra is
another name in Bollywood who keep surprising the viewers by his amazing performances.
Sanjay Mishra as a VC played the role to the hilt.

Music
by Rohit Sharma stands apart. Rohit Sharma has been associated with films like ‘Ship
of Theseus’ and ‘Buddha in a Traffic Jam’. His music has started catching the
fancy of the public. He adds soul to his music.

Image Courtesy: scoopvenue.com

‘Anarkali
of Aarah’ is a fight against the misogynist beliefs and perceptions of our
society. Unequal power relations between
men and women result in various forms of male dominance in the form of sexual
assault and violence against women. But there are women like Anarkali who are
made of a different steel who have the guts and determination to fight back for
their self-esteem. Go and watch Anarkali fight her own battle valiantly in a
nearby theatre and cheer her wholeheartedly.